With a laugh, Tuchel denies altitude pills and dismisses revenge | OneFootball

Mexico vs. England this Sunday (5), valid for the FIFA World Cup round of 16, will be played in Mexico City and at its altitude of 2,240 meters.

This situation creates extra concern for the English Team, but the supposed use of a medicine to ease the effects of the altitude was ruled out by coach Thomas Tuchel.

English tabloids reported in recent days that WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, could grant special authorization for the athletes to use sildenafil citrate, a vasodilator, to lessen the effects of the altitude in the Mexican capital. 

The medicine in question is famous for treating sexual impotence and has Viagra as one of its brand names. 

Tuchel reacted with a laugh to that possibility before giving a brief response: 

"That information is incorrect, it is not true."

The German coach spoke about how he himself is dealing with the "extra" rival England has. 

"We feel it even when we’re not training. I had a bit of a headache, I didn’t sleep as well as on previous days. But nothing I can’t handle, adapt to. I think the players felt it at the start of training. That’s the reality. We can’t physically adapt, but we arrived a day earlier to experience it beforehand, and not during the warm-up. We’ll have the pre-match warm-up to feel the speed of the ball. It’s not strange for them to start so strongly. It’s going to be very difficult for us in the first 20, 30 minutes. But I think we’re in a good position."

Will England revisit a 'trauma'?

England will play at the Azteca again exactly 40 years after the historic clash against Argentina in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup.

Maradona opened the scoring thanks to the "Hand of God" and then also scored the "Goal of the Century." 

📸 2017 Getty Images

The Argentines knocked out the English and went on toward the title. 

"Everyone remembers the goal, it’s an iconic goal at the Azteca, a huge disappointment for England. It’s painful, it still hurts, but we’re not here for revenge. It’s not even the same opponent. We’re here in great spirits," the coach commented. 

Mexico and England will face off from 9 p.m. Brasília time on the aforementioned Sunday.

The winner will face Brazil or Norway - who will play earlier - in the quarterfinals. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Richard Pelham - 2026 Getty Images